


The Quick and Easiest Way to Cry

by redhotpandas



Category: CrankGameplays - Fandom, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: its tythan if u squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-07
Updated: 2017-06-07
Packaged: 2018-11-10 14:38:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11128896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhotpandas/pseuds/redhotpandas
Summary: Ethan was tired. Like, really tired.Ethan's lack of sleep makes him forget something, and Tyler tries to get him to remember. Cue Ethan in hysterics when his exhaustion finally catches up to him.





	The Quick and Easiest Way to Cry

Ethan was tired. Like, really tired. His limbs felt like sandbags and he was pretty sure if he laid down to rest he wouldn’t be able to get back up. He’d been drinking nothing but coffee for the last couple days but it hadn’t done any good. It also didn’t seem to be helping his mood, or his bladder.

It was all Mark’s fault anyway, in Ethan’s opinion. He’d been filming like crazy, discovering one new game after another, and doing countless group activities. Which was great, obviously. Ethan loved hanging out with the rest of the crew. But no one must’ve gotten the memo that Ethan needed a little help on his share of editing, because he had been at it for three whole days.

It wasn’t just the days. It was the better parts of the nights, too. He stayed up to work, then got up early to work some more. Ethan was determined to make it out of the hole, though. He was going to the best editing job anyone had ever seen, or at least get it done on time.

Today was a new day. Ethan was almost almost done. Currently he’d been at his desk; head dipping lower and lower until it hit the keyboard. Every once in awhile, someone would ask him something, and he would respond the best he could, but it was pretty draining. But, he kept up the facade. He didn’t want to hinder anyone.

Ah, well. Ethan just needed to make it until lunch. 

 

Lunchtime came. Tyler made a list of food everybody wanted and went out. Half an hour later, Ethan’s phone rang. 

“Hello?” he sighed.

“Ethan?” said Tyler. “You forgot to tell me what you wanted for lunch.”

“Oh, sorry. Must’ve slipped my mind.” Ethan rattled off what he wanted.

“Okay. I’ll pick that up. Bye.” Tyler said, making to end the call. 

“Bye. I love you,” Ethan murmured absently as he hung up.

Mark looked over. “Aw, who was that, your mommy?” he gushed.

Ethan blinked. “No, it was Tyler.” He stared at Mark confusedly.

Mark stared back. “So… you guys are a thing, now?” 

“What?” 

“Am I mistaken? You know, it’s not everyday, when one of my friends confesses their undying love to one of my other friends.” Mark scoffed.

“I didn’t say that! Mark, are you high?” Ethan exclaimed.

“I dunno, you’re the one that looks high to me,” Mark smirked, but he let the subject drop. 

Ethan didn’t know what had happened. He most certainly had not said he loved Tyler. 

Not in that way, at least.

Well. Not yet. 

 

Tyler came back with the food. After distributing everything, he pulled Ethan aside. 

“Did I hear you correctly, when we were on the phone, that you said you ‘loved’ me?” Tyler made air quotes with his fingers.

“No,” Ethan said. He was at least 87% sure that didn’t happen. 

“But you did though,” Tyler said matter-of-factly. 

Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “Look, I don’t remember saying that!”

“Ethan, it’s okay if you like, regretted it or something--”

Ethan pushed his hair back again, this time more forcefully. “No! Why would I regret saying something like that, which I did not say, by the way!”

“Well, what did you mean when you said it?” Tyler inquired.

“I didn’t mean anything! I don’t know!”

“I know you want to deny it but--”

“I don’t remember!” This was quickly becoming too much for Ethan to handle. He was so tired he might cry any second, and his back hurt from sitting all day and he still needed to piss from drinking all that coffee--  
“I DON’T REMEMBER!” he shouted and suddenly he was crying; tears running down his cheeks and his hands balled into his fists at his sides.

“I don’t remember,” he repeated softly.

“Are you alright?” asked Tyler, who knew fully well that Ethan was definitely not alright. “Have you been getting enough sleep?” It was just then he noticed the shadows under the younger’s eyes.

“Of course, I’m fine,” Ethan muttered, furiously wiping at his eyes. 

“Obviously you’re not fine.”

“I’m fine!” Ethan’s shoulders shook with the weight of his sobs.

It was like he was on a roll. He suddenly just couldn’t seem to stop crying. Ethan hid his face in his arms and tried to calm himself down, but to no avail. He really didn’t want Tyler to see him like this.

“Ethan, I really think you should lie down. You obviously haven’t been sleeping well,” said Tyler, concerned. That just made Ethan cry harder.

“Come, on, please? You’ll feel better, I promise,” Tyler said gently. 

“No, I have to finish working…” Ethan trailed off.

There was only one thing Tyler could do. In one fluid motion, he swept Ethan up and carried him into the kitchen. Everyone else was still eating lunch. They looked up at him, wide eyed. Ethan’s muffled tears into Tyler’s shirt didn’t help much.

“Uh, I don’t think Ethan’s been sleeping well recently. I’m gonna go put him to bed.” Tyler rubbed Ethan’s back soothingly, and left. He didn’t stick around for anyone to question the situation.

 

Once they reached the bedroom, Ethan had mostly calmed down. He didn’t protest as Tyler gently set him down on the bed and tucked him in. He pulled the covers all the way to Ethan’s chin, patted his head, and went back into the kitchen.

Immediately Mark bombarded him with questions. 

“Why was Ethan crying? You didn’t hurt him, did you? What’s going on?”

Tyler silenced him with a look. “Apparently Ethan hasn’t been sleeping. I think it might’ve been because he was working too much.”  
Mark looked down guiltily. 

“It wasn’t your fault, Mark.” Tyler said reassuringly. “I think he was just overworking himself. 

Mark gave him a small smile. “What would we do without you, Tyler.”

“I dunno, probably fail at life.” Tyler replied bluntly.

Mark chuckled. “Yeah.” 

 

When Ethan woke up, it was dark. He shifted, finding himself cocooned in blankets. He vaguely remembered someone putting him to bed after he had cried himself out.

Wait.

Had the whole team seen him like that? Ethan was ashamed. He kind of felt like crying again, but he didn’t think he could produce any more tears. And after sleeping in jeans, there was no way he could go back to sleep, either.

He got up and made his way to the living room. All the lights were off, except for the glow of the TV screen. Ethan could barely make out a silhouette sitting on the couch.

“Tyler?” he said hoarsely, and cleared his throat. 

“Tyler?” he tried again.

The shape on the couch shifted. “Yeah?”

Ethan sat down next to Tyler, leaving more room than was necessary between them.

“Um… I’m sorry about earlier…” he mumbled, looking down.

“Ethan, you don’t have to be sorry. It could happen to anyone if they overworked themselves that much. You don’t have to do that to yourself, okay?”

“Okay.” Ethan whispered.

Tyler looked at him expectantly. 

“What?”

“Come here.” He patted the spot next to him. Ethan nodded, and tucked himself into Tyler’s side. Tyler draped his blanket over him.

“Man, Ethan, you slept for ten hours,” he sighed.

“Ugh, seriously? I’m going to have to catch up on so much work…” Tyler looked at him pointedly.

“Yeah, I know. No overworking myself.” Ethan breathed out. Tyler slung an arm around Ethan’s shoulders and squeezed him in a hug.

A couple minutes later, and they were both asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Boye hellz yeah i posted
> 
> its even longer than last time im great at this


End file.
